I'm once again cheating in my inspiration for content and borrowing an idea from Andew's Cinevistaramascope. (Linked on the right) He compiled a list of 100 pop music moments in films. I wish I'd seen even half of the films on that list.
Everyone has their own tastes in music, and indeed, I am no exception. A good soundtrack will further my enjoyment of something in the film medium (regular film, television, animation) and of course, my love of anime is one of the largest examples of this.
There's alot of music in anime that I like, so I've decided to break this piece up into several sections. To begin with, I'm going with insert songs moments. I decided to add some ground rules to help better define the sources for songs.
1) If the song is used as an opening theme, and at some points gets used in the middle of the show, it does not count as it was an opener first.
2)If it is either the usual ending theme, or an ending theme for the credits in a series finale, it counts as an ending theme, not an insert, but special ending themes in the middle of a title can count.
3)Insert songs must include lyrics. If there are no lyrics, it's part of the score.
4) And classical music, such as "Ode to Joy" which has lyrics, does not count as it is well known and not relatively unique for the series.
THIS IS A SPOILER HEAVY POST. WATCH CLIPS AT YOUR OWN RISK!
These are in no ranking order, but merely what came to mind as I thought about things. I apologize for some poor video/audio quality in these clips, as they were the best/only I could locate.
1)
Cowboy Bebop - "Call me Call me"
2)
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - "God Knows"
3)
Gundam SEED - "Akatsuki no Kuruma"
(Note: I realize this version is the ending to the second of three special edition installments of the series. Rest assured, the orginal episode version was not used for credits, I'm not breaking my own rules)
4)
Gundam SEED Destiny - "Fields of Hope"
5)
Cowboy Bebop - "See You Space Cowboy"
6)
*FLCL - "Blues Drive Monster"
7)
Macross Do You Remember Love - "Do You Remember Love"
8)
Sailor Moon R: The Movie - "Moon Revenge"
9)
Dragonball Z - "Day of Destiny Spirit vs Spirit"
10)
Mai - HiME "It's Only the Fairy Tale"
11)
*FLCL - "Crazy Sunshine" (no decent/full clip available)
12)
Mobile Suit Gundam - "Beginning"
13)
The End of Evangelion - "Komm, Susser Tod" (Note: Subtitles get off track for a little bit)
14)
Gurren Lagann - "Happily Ever After" (SEVERE SPOILER WARNING FOR NEW/CURRENTLY AIRING SERIES)
*FLCL is FULL of insert music, it's part of what makes the series so amazing. These two moments happen to be my personal favorites.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
The Vision of Escaflowne (Part 1: The TV Series)
The last time I'd seen The Vision of Escaflowne, I was still a freshman in college. My only exposure to it before then had been the painful re-cut that Fox had done when they tried to make it a suitable for a Saturday morning cartoon. (With vital plot points removed, and chronology scattered, it's no wonder it got canned rather quickly) Over last weekend, I finished rewatching the TV series as my first step in moving through my list of things to rewatch before the end of 2007.
This time around, I enjoyed the series alot more than I thought I would. What really caught my attention was how rapidly the story moves. Of course part of this is due to the fact that in initial planning stages, the series was going to be 39 episodes, but was altered to 26. Nothing important was kept out of the story by this change, but it would be interesting to see how things were portrayed had the full 39 episode concept had been executed. Yet despite a pace the seldom gives the audience a chance to rest, Escaflowne does not make it impossible to keep up.
Perhaps though what makes Escaflowne truly shine is it mixes two genres that one would not expect to meld easily; mecha and shoujo romance/drama. This gives the series so much more of its appeal to a larger audience. One can enjoy the intense battles of seeing the Guymelefs fighting, and the growing war, but still be drawn in by the love triangles that appear.
The similarities between two characters in particular caught my attention this time around is probably what stood out the most to me. Van and Allen's differences are clearly visible as soon as they are introduced. Allen is the calm, collected, knight who thinks through, and builds a strategy, and woos women left and right with his smooth chivalry, whereas Van is the hot-headed young king who seeks revenge for the destruction of his kingdom and the murder of those important to him, oblivious, ignorant of, and unaccustomed to love (in the romantic sense). Yet despite an initial appearance of being completely different men, they harbor more similarities than one might suspect. They are both fiercely tied to their own sense of honor and justice. Both are struggling with entering adulthood in the absence of their families. The list goes on. It's interesting to see how many fans try to make a choice of who they like better, going for who they see as a better character, missing out on these commonalities.
Still, the weakest part of Escaflowne for me is the story's epilogue. Closure is given, and everything that was brought up is tied together just Hitomi's choice at the end seems to go against expectations, and even her own words and actions.
But despite this one troubling part at the end of the story, The Vision of Escaflowne is an incredibly well made, well paced, and intriguing anime title. The mecha designs of the guymelefs and other devices are a superb mix of medieval and steampunk, the story is anything but boring, the relationships between characters are solid and believeable, and Kanno Yoko's score, along with Sakamoto Maya's vocals on certain pieces add just the right mood. (Dance of the Curse is probably one of the best pieces from any anime score, and is rightfully considered a classic.) If I had to describe the series, succinctly, it would be that The Vision of Escaflowne is one of the best examples of how many elements come together to make an amazing whole in the anime medium, and it is a title that can be enjoyed by many different types of viewers.
Rating 9/10
Favorite Episode: 13 "Red Destiny"
This time around, I enjoyed the series alot more than I thought I would. What really caught my attention was how rapidly the story moves. Of course part of this is due to the fact that in initial planning stages, the series was going to be 39 episodes, but was altered to 26. Nothing important was kept out of the story by this change, but it would be interesting to see how things were portrayed had the full 39 episode concept had been executed. Yet despite a pace the seldom gives the audience a chance to rest, Escaflowne does not make it impossible to keep up.
Perhaps though what makes Escaflowne truly shine is it mixes two genres that one would not expect to meld easily; mecha and shoujo romance/drama. This gives the series so much more of its appeal to a larger audience. One can enjoy the intense battles of seeing the Guymelefs fighting, and the growing war, but still be drawn in by the love triangles that appear.
The similarities between two characters in particular caught my attention this time around is probably what stood out the most to me. Van and Allen's differences are clearly visible as soon as they are introduced. Allen is the calm, collected, knight who thinks through, and builds a strategy, and woos women left and right with his smooth chivalry, whereas Van is the hot-headed young king who seeks revenge for the destruction of his kingdom and the murder of those important to him, oblivious, ignorant of, and unaccustomed to love (in the romantic sense). Yet despite an initial appearance of being completely different men, they harbor more similarities than one might suspect. They are both fiercely tied to their own sense of honor and justice. Both are struggling with entering adulthood in the absence of their families. The list goes on. It's interesting to see how many fans try to make a choice of who they like better, going for who they see as a better character, missing out on these commonalities.
Still, the weakest part of Escaflowne for me is the story's epilogue. Closure is given, and everything that was brought up is tied together just Hitomi's choice at the end seems to go against expectations, and even her own words and actions.
But despite this one troubling part at the end of the story, The Vision of Escaflowne is an incredibly well made, well paced, and intriguing anime title. The mecha designs of the guymelefs and other devices are a superb mix of medieval and steampunk, the story is anything but boring, the relationships between characters are solid and believeable, and Kanno Yoko's score, along with Sakamoto Maya's vocals on certain pieces add just the right mood. (Dance of the Curse is probably one of the best pieces from any anime score, and is rightfully considered a classic.) If I had to describe the series, succinctly, it would be that The Vision of Escaflowne is one of the best examples of how many elements come together to make an amazing whole in the anime medium, and it is a title that can be enjoyed by many different types of viewers.
Rating 9/10
Favorite Episode: 13 "Red Destiny"
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Paprika
Simply put, Kon Satoshi has a knack for blurring the line between the real world and the world in someone's mind in a way that can only really come out in the anime medium. I first encountered it when I watched Perfect Blue, but that was little preparation for the bombardment I received when I went to go see his latest film, Paprika this past Saturday with a group of friends from the Anime Boston staff.
The plot focuses on a group of neuro researchers who are trying to figure out how and why someone has stolen prototypes of a new invention known as the DC Mini, a device enabling people to participate in the dreams of others. Chiba Atsuko is one of the lead scientists in the group, who dons an alternate persona, Paprika, in the dreams of others, attempting to help others unravel the meanings of their dreams, as well as entering the space where dreams of many people have merged to be brought under the control of a yet unknown villain.
Paprika takes Kon's mystery mixes in some incredibly clever humor, and even a slight amount of romance creating a story that leaves the audience, curious, tantalized, and not wanting to the momentum to display any signs of slowing. From the hypnotic main theme, "Meditational Field", to the quick tongue-in-cheek reminder of who's film we're watching, the background elements of the film fill in any tiny gaps that the immediate portions of the film don't cover with their overwhelming magnitude of what I can only call "wow factors"
While there are most definitely exceptions to the generalization made in by the New York Times' Manohla Dargis, (such as Genndy Tartakovsky) his description of Paprika that is used in the American trailer holds a high amount of truth. Dargis refers to Kon's film as "evidence that Japanese animators are reaching for the moon, while most of their American counterparts remain stuck in the kiddie sandbox" I'd have a hard time disagreeing with him due to the existence of films like Paprika.
High Quality Trailer
"I'm definitely sober because I can tell that I'm drunk!"
The plot focuses on a group of neuro researchers who are trying to figure out how and why someone has stolen prototypes of a new invention known as the DC Mini, a device enabling people to participate in the dreams of others. Chiba Atsuko is one of the lead scientists in the group, who dons an alternate persona, Paprika, in the dreams of others, attempting to help others unravel the meanings of their dreams, as well as entering the space where dreams of many people have merged to be brought under the control of a yet unknown villain.
Paprika takes Kon's mystery mixes in some incredibly clever humor, and even a slight amount of romance creating a story that leaves the audience, curious, tantalized, and not wanting to the momentum to display any signs of slowing. From the hypnotic main theme, "Meditational Field", to the quick tongue-in-cheek reminder of who's film we're watching, the background elements of the film fill in any tiny gaps that the immediate portions of the film don't cover with their overwhelming magnitude of what I can only call "wow factors"
While there are most definitely exceptions to the generalization made in by the New York Times' Manohla Dargis, (such as Genndy Tartakovsky) his description of Paprika that is used in the American trailer holds a high amount of truth. Dargis refers to Kon's film as "evidence that Japanese animators are reaching for the moon, while most of their American counterparts remain stuck in the kiddie sandbox" I'd have a hard time disagreeing with him due to the existence of films like Paprika.
High Quality Trailer
"I'm definitely sober because I can tell that I'm drunk!"
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Thinking Blogger Award
I can't claim to be much of a writer, but I began Nihon Musings to give myself an outlet for anime and other Japan-related thoughts that stir in my mind at a frequency that to some might be considered unhealthy. Yet today Andrew decided to mention my small section of the internet in a post in his contribution of a meme that is going around. That being said, here are the rules of this meme.
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.
I don't follow many blogs at all, but there are a few that I try and read when I can.
1) Cinevistaramascope
Andrew's film comments and thoughts. From short thoughts in "The Trim Bin" to longer essasy with a lot of thought put into them all the way posts that are simply interesting title card from various films, the blog is a great chronicle of film. Seeing Andrew's work here is what got me interested in creating my own blog, so I owe him a lot of inspiration credit. One of the things that truly makes visiting Cinevistaramascope enjoyable is that even if I don't know nearly as much about the films being discussed, I'm not lost while going through the content. Perhaps what makes the blog even more interesting to read is that Andrew enjoys adding his own personal experiences to the contents as well, making it less robotic, and giving a small reminder that it's not a textbook or random article from a periodical, but rather a real person who just likes talking about film. Andrew and his wife Jess recently brought their daughter Luna into this world. I envy Luna a lot, she's going to be raised in a home that will bombard her with amazing films. Being able to grow up immersed is going to be an amazing childhood.
2) Gunota Headlines
Taking its title from the horrible Hong Kong bootleg version of "Gundam", Gunota Headlines is one of the best sources for new Gundam information as it comes out. RGZ and Neo-Era do an impressive job of covering not only Japanese, and American Gundam news, but plenty of other countries too, including stuff from other Asian nations. They welcome others to pass along stories to them as well (Yours truly was credited with informing them about Imagawa Yasuhiro's accepetence as a guest for Anime Boston 2007). I probably would have only learned about the Zeta Gundam films' coming to the Chicago International Film Festival along with Tomino Yoshiyuki as an after thought if not for Gunota. From DVD releases, to new model kits, Gunota's been a great source for just seeing where things are going for an anime title that is quickly approaching its 30th year.
3) BoingBoing
A self proclaimed "Directory of Wonderful things", BoingBoing gets a great amount of just random neat links of fun things to check out online. Sometimes BB will toss out some political thoughts, sometimes it's just "Hey check out this neat sculpture someone made, it's a steampunk computer monitor!"
4) Con Chowder
No, that's not a typo. That's Anime Boston's new (for 2007) blog that posted various updates, and summaries during the convention and following it. I've gotten to know the head contributer and organizer, Rick Healey, through my time at AB, and he's just a fun guy, he takes his fun personality and puts it into the blog entries, not making things too seriously, but yet at the same time, he gets the right details mentioned, and writes things in way that gives you the right feeling for what it's like to be immearesed in an anime convention.
5) Sorry, I don't have a fifth one, so I'm just going to plug Cinevistaramascope again because frankly, it really is the blog I read that gets me thinking the most. This past weekend I went to go see Paprika (more on the film later) and saw copies of El Topo for sale. Right away, my mind went to Andrew's blog. I kicked myself later for not grabbing a copy on my way out. I have yet to experience a time where I've regretted watching something suggested by Andrew. He taught me more about what to look for when I want to declare a film "good" than any film professor at MCLA ever could.
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.
I don't follow many blogs at all, but there are a few that I try and read when I can.
1) Cinevistaramascope
Andrew's film comments and thoughts. From short thoughts in "The Trim Bin" to longer essasy with a lot of thought put into them all the way posts that are simply interesting title card from various films, the blog is a great chronicle of film. Seeing Andrew's work here is what got me interested in creating my own blog, so I owe him a lot of inspiration credit. One of the things that truly makes visiting Cinevistaramascope enjoyable is that even if I don't know nearly as much about the films being discussed, I'm not lost while going through the content. Perhaps what makes the blog even more interesting to read is that Andrew enjoys adding his own personal experiences to the contents as well, making it less robotic, and giving a small reminder that it's not a textbook or random article from a periodical, but rather a real person who just likes talking about film. Andrew and his wife Jess recently brought their daughter Luna into this world. I envy Luna a lot, she's going to be raised in a home that will bombard her with amazing films. Being able to grow up immersed is going to be an amazing childhood.
2) Gunota Headlines
Taking its title from the horrible Hong Kong bootleg version of "Gundam", Gunota Headlines is one of the best sources for new Gundam information as it comes out. RGZ and Neo-Era do an impressive job of covering not only Japanese, and American Gundam news, but plenty of other countries too, including stuff from other Asian nations. They welcome others to pass along stories to them as well (Yours truly was credited with informing them about Imagawa Yasuhiro's accepetence as a guest for Anime Boston 2007). I probably would have only learned about the Zeta Gundam films' coming to the Chicago International Film Festival along with Tomino Yoshiyuki as an after thought if not for Gunota. From DVD releases, to new model kits, Gunota's been a great source for just seeing where things are going for an anime title that is quickly approaching its 30th year.
3) BoingBoing
A self proclaimed "Directory of Wonderful things", BoingBoing gets a great amount of just random neat links of fun things to check out online. Sometimes BB will toss out some political thoughts, sometimes it's just "Hey check out this neat sculpture someone made, it's a steampunk computer monitor!"
4) Con Chowder
No, that's not a typo. That's Anime Boston's new (for 2007) blog that posted various updates, and summaries during the convention and following it. I've gotten to know the head contributer and organizer, Rick Healey, through my time at AB, and he's just a fun guy, he takes his fun personality and puts it into the blog entries, not making things too seriously, but yet at the same time, he gets the right details mentioned, and writes things in way that gives you the right feeling for what it's like to be immearesed in an anime convention.
5) Sorry, I don't have a fifth one, so I'm just going to plug Cinevistaramascope again because frankly, it really is the blog I read that gets me thinking the most. This past weekend I went to go see Paprika (more on the film later) and saw copies of El Topo for sale. Right away, my mind went to Andrew's blog. I kicked myself later for not grabbing a copy on my way out. I have yet to experience a time where I've regretted watching something suggested by Andrew. He taught me more about what to look for when I want to declare a film "good" than any film professor at MCLA ever could.
Friday, June 8, 2007
What I need to rewatch before '08
Aside from this latest set, I haven't been doing these Nihon Musings articles as often as I'd hoped, but to those of you who take the time to read them when I do get the chance to jot down some thoughts, thanks.
With 2007 nearly half over, I've gotten some great viewing in already. (It's amazing how not having homework anymore frees up one's schedule to get more viewing time done) But with the year moving as fast as it has, I've only really had a chance to focus on new additions to the ever growing list of titles I've watched. That being the case, I've decided to make a list of titles that I feel I should set aside some time to review for myself. It's a decent if I do say so myself. I might not get through everything, but I'd like to think I'll get at least 2/3 of the list taken care of before the date rolls over into '08. Let's see what the list looks so far, I would not be surprised if there's more additions made before the year is done.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (including movies)
In 2006 a committed an act of negligence that could only be classified as a sin by in action. Since discovering it in the fall of 1999, I've watched that which I've considered my favorite anime series a minimum of once a year. In 2006, primarily due to just buckling down and getting to work with the remainder of my time at college and readying for the move into real person status, I never got around to watch Eva. While Gainax's latest mecha creation, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, has potential to take Eva's title away (a comment I do not make lightly), Eva has been a favorite for so long and after finishing it, I always feel a sense of refreshment, an affirmation if you will, that it's because of stuff like Eva that I enjoy anime so much.
X (TV series)
Thanks to recent lucky finds the goal of having all of the X DVDs from the first R1 release with their limited edition slip cases is within reach. I think I owe it to myself to affirm that the hunt was worthwhile by watching everything. It's also been a few years since I finished my first time through the series, and I know I'm more than a little rusty on the names, relationships and events.
Fushigi Yuugi
FY was my introduction into the Watase Yuu's amazing stories, it's been over four years since I watched this series, and after remembering how much Watase is able to wow me, I think FY would be good for a reviewing. This past fall I managed to get the entire series thanks to the massive Geneon titles sale by The Right Stuf, but the DVDs still sit in my rack, unwatched. I purchase anime to watch it, not let it simply look pretty on a shelf.
Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED, or Turn A Gundam.
I've recently given Zeta Gundam a great deal of attention, but all three of these titles are good for different reasons, I could stand for a refresher on any one of them. Right now I'm leaning most heavily towards Wing, especially since I see the trailers for it on another set of DVDs on a series on this list…
The Vision of Escaflowne (TV series and movie)
Mecha and shoujo seldom mixed so well. It's another title that I finally filled the missing gaps in my collection of, and once again, I'm a bit rusty. I'm also trying to track down all of Aura Battler Dunbine, which is an older mix of mecha and fantasy. If I can manage it, seeing both close together would create some interesting means for comparison. Escaflowne is the series that has kicked off my work on this list. Already I'm remembering just how quickly the story gets intense.
FLCL
Six episodes of pure awesome. In that short time frame an amazing amount of stuff is packed in. I never regret sitting down and going through this series in an afternoon or evening.
Saikano (Anime and/or Manga)
For even fuller details, see my entry on this title, suffice to say both times I went through this title, (once in anime, once in manga) it just grabbed me. It's a such a potent story and should not just be set aside and forgotten.
Mai - HiME
I've been considering writing a musings piece on this series since I first decided to start writing down the musings. I know I've forgotten a lot, so I want a refresher before I sit down to discuss things. The story is rather solid too. With the final Region 1 volume recently released, I have little excuse to not go forth and remember just how crazy the plot gets. Nothing I like more than a story that really knows how to break its characters.
With 2007 nearly half over, I've gotten some great viewing in already. (It's amazing how not having homework anymore frees up one's schedule to get more viewing time done) But with the year moving as fast as it has, I've only really had a chance to focus on new additions to the ever growing list of titles I've watched. That being the case, I've decided to make a list of titles that I feel I should set aside some time to review for myself. It's a decent if I do say so myself. I might not get through everything, but I'd like to think I'll get at least 2/3 of the list taken care of before the date rolls over into '08. Let's see what the list looks so far, I would not be surprised if there's more additions made before the year is done.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (including movies)
In 2006 a committed an act of negligence that could only be classified as a sin by in action. Since discovering it in the fall of 1999, I've watched that which I've considered my favorite anime series a minimum of once a year. In 2006, primarily due to just buckling down and getting to work with the remainder of my time at college and readying for the move into real person status, I never got around to watch Eva. While Gainax's latest mecha creation, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, has potential to take Eva's title away (a comment I do not make lightly), Eva has been a favorite for so long and after finishing it, I always feel a sense of refreshment, an affirmation if you will, that it's because of stuff like Eva that I enjoy anime so much.
X (TV series)
Thanks to recent lucky finds the goal of having all of the X DVDs from the first R1 release with their limited edition slip cases is within reach. I think I owe it to myself to affirm that the hunt was worthwhile by watching everything. It's also been a few years since I finished my first time through the series, and I know I'm more than a little rusty on the names, relationships and events.
Fushigi Yuugi
FY was my introduction into the Watase Yuu's amazing stories, it's been over four years since I watched this series, and after remembering how much Watase is able to wow me, I think FY would be good for a reviewing. This past fall I managed to get the entire series thanks to the massive Geneon titles sale by The Right Stuf, but the DVDs still sit in my rack, unwatched. I purchase anime to watch it, not let it simply look pretty on a shelf.
Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED, or Turn A Gundam.
I've recently given Zeta Gundam a great deal of attention, but all three of these titles are good for different reasons, I could stand for a refresher on any one of them. Right now I'm leaning most heavily towards Wing, especially since I see the trailers for it on another set of DVDs on a series on this list…
The Vision of Escaflowne (TV series and movie)
Mecha and shoujo seldom mixed so well. It's another title that I finally filled the missing gaps in my collection of, and once again, I'm a bit rusty. I'm also trying to track down all of Aura Battler Dunbine, which is an older mix of mecha and fantasy. If I can manage it, seeing both close together would create some interesting means for comparison. Escaflowne is the series that has kicked off my work on this list. Already I'm remembering just how quickly the story gets intense.
FLCL
Six episodes of pure awesome. In that short time frame an amazing amount of stuff is packed in. I never regret sitting down and going through this series in an afternoon or evening.
Saikano (Anime and/or Manga)
For even fuller details, see my entry on this title, suffice to say both times I went through this title, (once in anime, once in manga) it just grabbed me. It's a such a potent story and should not just be set aside and forgotten.
Mai - HiME
I've been considering writing a musings piece on this series since I first decided to start writing down the musings. I know I've forgotten a lot, so I want a refresher before I sit down to discuss things. The story is rather solid too. With the final Region 1 volume recently released, I have little excuse to not go forth and remember just how crazy the plot gets. Nothing I like more than a story that really knows how to break its characters.
Wings of Honneamise
The other night I took some time to sit down and watch Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise, a classic that I'd wanted to get a hold of for some time, and finally did. The works of the anime studio, Gainax, never seem to disappoint me, and this film is no exception.
Wings of Honneamise, creates a fictional Earth that is not too far from our own. The social, political, and technological feel for the setting create an era similar to that of the early twentieth century, near the start of the First World War, the only major difference being the beginnings of a space program, which the central focus of the plot revolves around.
We are introduced to Shirotsugh Lhadatt, a young man who is looking for his calling in life, a reason to make his days feel less than lackluster. Through his own meanderings, he has found himself in the Royal Space Force, a group of men that is closer to being a pack of bored has-beens (or perhaps even never-weres) than the beginnings of a new branch of their nation's military. All seem content with their do-nothing days of obscurity, but with the recent death of a member due to an accident in testing, Shirotsugh finds himself trying to find worth in an existence that has become meaningless.
A chance encounter with a girl, Riquinni Nonderaikom spouting religious guidance to uninterested masses brings Shirotsugh to start thinking about his role in everything around him.
The story of Wings of Honneamise unfolds at a rate that changes time and again throughout the course of the film. Sometimes events move at blinding pace, other moments seem to get drawn out, giving the audience a chance to drink things in a bit more.
The film is an incredible work and as one of Gainax's earliest creations as a studio, it shows that the group working to create it really had a grasp on what makes a good film. It is part of human nature to every so often try and remember what goal is driving us, telling us to move forward, and Honneamise captures this need for motivation in a way that is totally unique. The film's climax and ending close things in just the right manner, and leave the audience reflecting on everything that they watched transpire over the course of those two hours.
It is something of a shame that the Region 1 release of Wings of Honneamise is something that has all but vanished from existence. While the video quality compared to the Region 2 Japanese release is tough to swallow (a comparison can be seen here), the release did have dual language, and even commentary by the creators available as an audio and subtitle track. Personally, I'd like to think that Manga Entertainment realized how great the film was, and went to bring it out as soon as they could, but it was just at the beginning of the boom for Anime in America, so it fell under the radar. While their license of the film has apparently expired, I'd like to hope that another company tries to pick it up and get a more worthwhile Region 1 release. Bandai Visual, the company who is also known as Honeamise, I'm looking at you!
Edit: I guess we're moving in the right direction after all, but I'd still like to see a regular DVD release too. HD and Blu-Ray are nice, but I don't see the average anime fan being close to owning one yet. This could very well be the same problem that hurt the film the first time it got released here, it came too soon.
Wings of Honneamise, creates a fictional Earth that is not too far from our own. The social, political, and technological feel for the setting create an era similar to that of the early twentieth century, near the start of the First World War, the only major difference being the beginnings of a space program, which the central focus of the plot revolves around.
We are introduced to Shirotsugh Lhadatt, a young man who is looking for his calling in life, a reason to make his days feel less than lackluster. Through his own meanderings, he has found himself in the Royal Space Force, a group of men that is closer to being a pack of bored has-beens (or perhaps even never-weres) than the beginnings of a new branch of their nation's military. All seem content with their do-nothing days of obscurity, but with the recent death of a member due to an accident in testing, Shirotsugh finds himself trying to find worth in an existence that has become meaningless.
A chance encounter with a girl, Riquinni Nonderaikom spouting religious guidance to uninterested masses brings Shirotsugh to start thinking about his role in everything around him.
The story of Wings of Honneamise unfolds at a rate that changes time and again throughout the course of the film. Sometimes events move at blinding pace, other moments seem to get drawn out, giving the audience a chance to drink things in a bit more.
The film is an incredible work and as one of Gainax's earliest creations as a studio, it shows that the group working to create it really had a grasp on what makes a good film. It is part of human nature to every so often try and remember what goal is driving us, telling us to move forward, and Honneamise captures this need for motivation in a way that is totally unique. The film's climax and ending close things in just the right manner, and leave the audience reflecting on everything that they watched transpire over the course of those two hours.
It is something of a shame that the Region 1 release of Wings of Honneamise is something that has all but vanished from existence. While the video quality compared to the Region 2 Japanese release is tough to swallow (a comparison can be seen here), the release did have dual language, and even commentary by the creators available as an audio and subtitle track. Personally, I'd like to think that Manga Entertainment realized how great the film was, and went to bring it out as soon as they could, but it was just at the beginning of the boom for Anime in America, so it fell under the radar. While their license of the film has apparently expired, I'd like to hope that another company tries to pick it up and get a more worthwhile Region 1 release. Bandai Visual, the company who is also known as Honeamise, I'm looking at you!
Edit: I guess we're moving in the right direction after all, but I'd still like to see a regular DVD release too. HD and Blu-Ray are nice, but I don't see the average anime fan being close to owning one yet. This could very well be the same problem that hurt the film the first time it got released here, it came too soon.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Gundam Double O...HELL.... YEAH!
(From Gunota Headlines)
A very short promo appeared after today's episode of TBS/MBS' "Toward The Terra" announcing a new Gundam series. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Double Oh) is set to air at 6pm on Oct 2007. The official site is up providing a streaming promo.
Known details are:Setting - 2307 AD ("seireki", Japanese for "anno domini")Characters - 4 Gundam Meisters, who pilot the mobile weapons.Factions - Solestal Beings (not real sure on the English name right now), a private militia group whose purpose is to eradicate wars.
...
Rumors about the series have been going around Japanese message boards for some time, especially after Sunrise registered several Gundam00 domains. The proclamation that the setting would neither be in the Universal Century of the original nor the Cosmic Era of Gundam SEED, as stated by Sunrise's Yasuo Miyakawa, seems to have been followed through with. Staff members are yet to be confirmed although the most persistent rumor is that the series will be directed by Fullmetal Alchemist's Seiji Mizushima.
This is of course, awesome news. It's interesting to see the first Gundam series actually set in AD, and not a fictional era. The classic Universal Century, while generally good, has been tapped into alot, and the Cosmic Era timeline seemed to fall apart as Gundam SEED Destiny fell further and further into favoring easy to write old characters instead of building up really good new characters, and just too much fell apart. The further Fukuda is from the Gundam name, the better, it needs time to heal and become the "real" feeling show that was what originally intended.
I regret that I've yet to watch all but two full episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, but the prospect of Mizushina Seiji has me hopeful. If something like FMA can be as successful as it was under his direction, I will be optimistic about what he can do for the Gundam franchise.
The brief views of new mecha designs seem eye catching enough, and seem to have a hint of the Turn A Gundam's design, which looks neat. It's always neat to see something that looks so little like a Gundam, but is instantly recognizable as one. Perhaps the most notable difference is the absence of two vents in the "mouth" areas of the new designs. It's a subtle change, but adds just the right amount of difference. Perhaps the strangest thing about the new Gundams, is that there are four. I would have expected 1 or 5, as has become the norm over the years. (Aside from G, but that's a special case, and even then the Shuffle Alliance were the 5 "main" Gundams)
Finally, the character designs look good too. The Cosmic Era seemed to lack much difference in faces aside from different skin tones and hair color/style. Everyone seems to look different enough. What's the drawback about all this though? It's another thing Japan related to make me want the Fall to arrive sooner. Here's hoping for another great show.
"Rebirth begins through destruction"
A very short promo appeared after today's episode of TBS/MBS' "Toward The Terra" announcing a new Gundam series. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Double Oh) is set to air at 6pm on Oct 2007. The official site is up providing a streaming promo.
Known details are:Setting - 2307 AD ("seireki", Japanese for "anno domini")Characters - 4 Gundam Meisters, who pilot the mobile weapons.Factions - Solestal Beings (not real sure on the English name right now), a private militia group whose purpose is to eradicate wars.
...
Rumors about the series have been going around Japanese message boards for some time, especially after Sunrise registered several Gundam00 domains. The proclamation that the setting would neither be in the Universal Century of the original nor the Cosmic Era of Gundam SEED, as stated by Sunrise's Yasuo Miyakawa, seems to have been followed through with. Staff members are yet to be confirmed although the most persistent rumor is that the series will be directed by Fullmetal Alchemist's Seiji Mizushima.
This is of course, awesome news. It's interesting to see the first Gundam series actually set in AD, and not a fictional era. The classic Universal Century, while generally good, has been tapped into alot, and the Cosmic Era timeline seemed to fall apart as Gundam SEED Destiny fell further and further into favoring easy to write old characters instead of building up really good new characters, and just too much fell apart. The further Fukuda is from the Gundam name, the better, it needs time to heal and become the "real" feeling show that was what originally intended.
I regret that I've yet to watch all but two full episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, but the prospect of Mizushina Seiji has me hopeful. If something like FMA can be as successful as it was under his direction, I will be optimistic about what he can do for the Gundam franchise.
The brief views of new mecha designs seem eye catching enough, and seem to have a hint of the Turn A Gundam's design, which looks neat. It's always neat to see something that looks so little like a Gundam, but is instantly recognizable as one. Perhaps the most notable difference is the absence of two vents in the "mouth" areas of the new designs. It's a subtle change, but adds just the right amount of difference. Perhaps the strangest thing about the new Gundams, is that there are four. I would have expected 1 or 5, as has become the norm over the years. (Aside from G, but that's a special case, and even then the Shuffle Alliance were the 5 "main" Gundams)
Finally, the character designs look good too. The Cosmic Era seemed to lack much difference in faces aside from different skin tones and hair color/style. Everyone seems to look different enough. What's the drawback about all this though? It's another thing Japan related to make me want the Fall to arrive sooner. Here's hoping for another great show.
"Rebirth begins through destruction"
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